A&E wins first ruling in Storage Wars' rigging lawsuit

At a hearing on Tuesday, March 12, Los Angeles Superior Court judge Michael Johnson tossed the unfair business practices claim of “Storage Wars” star David Hester, reports The Hollywood Reporter, adding, “The judge also demanded that Hester’s claim of wrongful termination be more specific.”

One of Hester’s claims was that as a result of “interference and manipulation of the outcomes of the auctions shown” on “Storage Wars,” that producers made it appear that he is less skillful than his competition, the article said

The story added, “Because Judge Johnson agrees that the claim arises from constitutionally protected activity — ‘Storage Wars’ is expressive free speech — the burden shifted to Hester to demonstrate a probability of prevailing before the claim went any further.”

Hester, a professional buyer of abandoned storage lockers, competed with other buyers. His lawsuit challenges the producers’ allegedly practice of “salting” storage units. The reality-TV star claims this violates the Communication Act of 1934, which prohibits “influencing, prearranging, or predetermining outcomes” in “contests of knowledge, skill, or chance.”